


Nothing But Hope

by still_lycoris



Category: X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) - Fandom
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark, Gen, Mind Control, Mind Meld, Possession
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-22
Updated: 2016-05-22
Packaged: 2018-06-10 01:46:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6932929
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/still_lycoris/pseuds/still_lycoris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers for X-Men: Apocalypse. What if Kurt didn't arrive in time? Charles tries to fight Apocalypse's invasion of his mind ...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nothing But Hope

It hurts.

It more than hurts. It is pure agony; monstrous pain dragging at his mind, at his bones, at his very sinews. Charles thrashes and screams and tries to pull away even though there is nowhere to run, no escape from the stone around his wrists.

_Get out of my head! Get out!_

But his screams are going unanswered. He can feel that power lapping at him again, that overwhelming, swamping power and he can’t hide from it, can’t squirm loose from it, can’t avoid it. It’s washing over him like water, filling him up, drowning him.

_**Get out!** _

But the darkness is almost beguiling now. As it wraps around him, the pain is less and he doesn’t want to hurt, he can’t stand this level of agony, it will kill him, he knows that it will and he should welcome that, embrace it because then Apocalypse will lose but some traitorous part of him doesn’t want that, just wants to _live_.

 _Do not fear_ Apocalypse’s voice is soft in the blackness. _This is not death, Charles. You are being reborn. We are being reborn._

_No! No!_

He can’t give in, he can’t, he has to fight this darkness, he has to fight the pain or everything will be lost. And his power is growing, increasing, he can feel it blazing – but no, that’s not him, that’s _Apocalypse_ , he has to fight that power …

_Nothing will be lost. You want to protect your children, don’t you? You’ll have the power to protect them now ..._

Protect them?

Yes. Yes, Charles has always wanted that. To protect the other mutants around him, see them safe and happy. The whole point of his school is to look after them, teach them, to help. Are his children even still alive? He wants to know, _needs_ to know that there’s a point to this struggle, to this pain … 

_Just reach out. Look for them_.

And Apocalypse’s power is mingling with his, pushing him and he can _feel_ , all those minds, all those fears and hopes and dreams and oh, it’s quite, quite beautiful how far he can reach, how far he can _stretch_. He can dimly feel his body changing, his spine cracking into a new position, his shoulders broadening but it is very far away now, almost unimportant compared to the minds he can feel, reaching for him, begging for him. There are his children, his frightened, lost children and oh, they need him so much, his dear, dear ones …

His body is rising, standing. There is something wrong with that, Charles knows that but it’s hard to remember what and why, not when there is so much else to think about, to do. There are new memories too, glorious, fascinating memories that are slotting into place to be looked at later when there is more time, when they don’t need him so much. There are important things to be done and soon, he’ll remember all of them and it will all make sense but for now, there are other things that require his attention, important things …

He walks slowly out of the pyramid, knowing the way instinctively. They are fighting out here and there is no need for it, he must stop them at once. There is no need for anybody to be hurt, not now. He will protect them, all of them. He reaches out easily, freezes their bodies in place. No more fighting. They are all safe.

“Charles? Oh, Charles, no! _No!_ ”

Hank. His dear, loyal Hank. His mind seethes with pain, with so much pain – why has he never tried to help him before? Why has he never simply reached in, plucked that self-doubt and distress away when there is no need for it, no need at all?

It is the work of a blink to appear at Hank’s side. He strokes the beautiful blue fur and smoothes the mind beneath and Hank relaxes, smiles at him as everything is made all right inside. He is strong, he is worthy at being with them. He will always be loyal.

“Charles!” Raven is sobbing, trying to pull away from him, fighting his grip. He smiles at her too, reaches out his hand.

“You promised! You promised you’d never get into my mind!”

Yes, he does faintly recall a promise like that. What a foolish thing to have said when so many problems could have been eased by simply entering her mind, taking it, controlling it. All of the minds, so open, so easy to take. He reaches out to them all, catching them, changing them as required, holding them, loving them. The fiery one screams, fights him the hardest but even she cannot escape him now – and if she ever does, well. One sacrifice may be necessary. There are so many that must be protected but it is all right. He can protect them because he is strong, he has so much _power_. He has all the power of the world.

He is a _God_.

Apocalypse smiles.


End file.
